AmplifiedLIFE

I came across this happy scene during my neighborhood walk through Old Ottawa. Where else, but on Sunnyside Avenue!? Sunflowers symbolize adoration, loyalty, and longevity. Bees are associated with creativity, hard work, community, prosperity, and abundance. Who can't use some of all those things?

Watching these geese preen themselves, gives a whole new meaning to the term, “rubbernecking”. Have you ever thought about the dexterity and flexibility of a gooses neck? It’s one of those weird bird talents such as an owl being able to turn its head almost 360 degrees! Canada Geese, the largest of the many species of geese, have an easier time scratching those hard-to-reach itches than we humans do with our own two arms! Can you guess why some birds often stand and even roost on one leg? If you guessed heat preservation, you’d be right. Heat is lost through the bird’s legs because they lack feather-cover. So, it’s simple math; a goose with its foot tucked up reduces by half the amount of heat lost through its un-feathered limbs. But on this particular spring day on the sunny banks of the Rideau River in Old Ottawa South, these Canada Geese seem super chilled-out. In fact, I think that one standing on one leg might be practicing tai chi. Or is it yoga?

I often walk or bike through Ottawa’s Rideau Canal as it wends its way through the bustling city. In the spring, the wind will often carry blossoms, flower petals, and other pretty flotsam into the water. They undulate on the surface in mesmerizing patterns, as the gentle current pushes them along to the open water. The colors and textures, together with the reflection of the soft, shiny white clouds on the dark water, form a stunning visual. And if you are familiar with Ottawa and the canal— the brand new Flora Footbridge looking pristine and white in the distance tells you exactly where I am.

As a frequent flyer, I know that when I get the right seat, and the direction of the sun is just perfect, I can capture a cool shadow-landing. A short afternoon puddle-jump flight from Toronto to Ottawa afforded me this one. "On this airplane coming home to you Sometimes I think I've flown my whole life through My whole life...through As I wing my way to you" - from the song, Suite: Clouds, Rain - by David Gates

This stunningly colored bird was a welcome visitor in the mid-city oasis that is my back yard. Since Cardinals are not migratory, they stay put all year wherever they make their home – even if that’s a northern locale with harsh winters like this one in Ottawa, CA. They tend to choose the edges of woods, or the area around houses with lots of plants and shrubs to make their homes. And if there’s water for bathing and drinking, such as the small pond in my yard—all the better! Typically, the Northern Cardinal pairs up for a year, and often, but not always, pairs will stay together until one dies, at which time the surviving mate will look for another partner. So named because their feathers match a Cardinal's crimson robes, it’s actually only the male that has the distinctive bright appearance and black mask. Females tend to be a glossy brown or olive.

Before you go thinking that SMART is a dumb name for a car company, you should know that it actually stands for Swatch Mercedes ART, partnering the Swiss company Swatch with Mercedes-Benz. The first SMART car was released by Daimler-Benz in 1998, They were sold in the U.S. from 2008 until they were discontinued in 2019. SMART was known for its small size and distinct styling, and appealed to those looking for an affordable urban commuter that stood out from the crowd. If you just needed something with four wheels to get you around, and you didn’t need a lot of space, a SMART was a smart choice. And um, if you choose to have a bobblehead on your roof, let’s hope you chose a smarter one than this driver… And speaking of BOBBLEHEADS – did you know? • Bobbleheads have been around since the late 1700s! At that time they were called “Nodding-heads”. • An early pair of painted-plaster nodding-head figures of a mandarin and his wife sold for $40,000 in 2010. • The Beatles bobblehead set from 1964 became one of the most famous and rarest of all time. It is still a valuable collectible today. • And yes, there IS a National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum! It is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it features over 6,500 unique bobbleheads and a store with over 500 different bobbleheads available for purchase. • And who could forget that January 7th is National Bobblehead Day!

“Who says you can’t buy success?” That was one of the many magazine advertising headlines for the Grand Prix. Produced from 1962 through 2002, this ‘personal luxury coupe’ was considered the flagship of the Pontiac fleet. Its upscale interior easily rivaled anything the competition could serve up. The car boasted such niceties as Morrokide-covered bucket seats, console, floor shift, tachometer, and rear speaker, and of course, above-average performance with big V-8 engines with plenty of horsepower. The 1969 Grand Prix was the very first car to have its radio antenna embedded in the windshield. And in an era of excess, the Grand Prix could brag about having the longest hood in the industry. Man, what a sweet ride! I spotted this one and its great lines, curves and chrome at the Aylmer Auto Show in Quebec, Canada and I caressed it with my camera. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1960’s automobile ads were so clever! Here’s a few of the fun copy lines for the Grand Prix: • Some cars try to look like Pontiacs. Some cars try to act like Pontiacs. Lots of luck. • Any car this responsive, obedient and satisfying to drive, simply has no right to be this good looking. • Grand Prix is for people who think good looks are enough. Also for those who don’t. • You don’t have to turn the key to be moved by it. • If you gravitate helplessly toward every Pontiac you see, you’re simply human. • If you think the Grand Prix is just a big, beautiful, elegant car, you obviously haven’t driven it. • Ignore the Grand Prix’s urbane good looks for the moment. (Force yourself.) • Whisks you from hither to yon in such effortless style. • If you can resist buying one, maybe you just don’t like cars. • It may be sometime before you can see this car without a lot of people crowded around it so be our guest. • Curves and turns come and go, but you sit comfortably unmoved. • Your pulse rate goes up whatever you see one of these? Relax, you’re perfectly normal. • Try and tell yourself you don’t want one. Just try. • If you don’t want to be looked at wherever you go, don’t go in this! • Now the only question is, who has the years second best looking car? • This beauty eats mountains for breakfast. • Another beautiful sleek new luxurious responsive Pontiac Grand Prix? So what else is new? • If you had two wishes, what would the second one be? • It’s quick and nimble but much more civilized and comfortable than a sports car. • Here’s a car that’s luxurious without being a stuffed shirt about it! • Does any car have the right to be this beautiful? Only if it’s a Pontiac and its name is Grand Prix. So beautiful, in fact, it’s clean, aristocratic lines have set the standard for personal luxury cars • Push the go paddle. Man, this is driving! This is Grand Prix. Who else but Pontiac could’ve built it? Who else but you could enjoy it so much?

John Lennon wrote the song “A Day in the Life” in 1967, after reading an article in the Daily Mail titled, “The Holes in our Roads.” “I read the news today—oh, boy Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire And though the holes were rather small They had to count them all Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall” Potholes have been with us since roads began to be paved, and as any driver knows, they can cause anything from slight discomfort to major vehicle damage. Most potholes are formed over time by the effects of temperature fluctuations, freeze-thaw cycles, and wear and tear. The Python Pothole Patcher (say that three times fast ) is the future of road repair! With this machine, roads can be repaired before they begin to really crumble. Repairing potholes while they are still small extends and protects the lives roads as well as the lives of road repair workers! In the United States alone, it is estimated that at any given moment there are 55 million potholes, even though the USA annually invests about $68 billion in their repair! Each year vehicle owners spend 3 million dollars on repairing pothole damage, which can include tire punctures, bent wheels, and damaged suspensions. Edmonton, Alberta, the self-proclaimed “Pothole capital of Canada,” spends $4.8 million on 450,000 potholes annually. Only 31 percent of U.S. roads are deemed to be in good condition. In some areas, road deterioration is so great and repairs unaffordable that they are being returned to gravel. So the next time you see a pothole patching crew on the road, send them some appreciation!

Be a kid again! Remember how much FUN you had skipping rope as a child? Well, you may want to pick it up again! It turns out jumping rope isn’t just fun. It’s GOOD for you, and it’s actually a great workout for the entire body! Studies show that DOING ACTIVITIES THAT MADE US HAPPY WHEN WE WERE KIDS can be better for us than a standard workout. Jumping rope is practically free, can be done almost anywhere, any time, and just 15 minutes of rope-skipping does more for your body than running on a treadmill for an entire hour! Jumping rope is a great low to medium intensity aerobic exercise, and by adding interval skipping, you'll increase the benefits, such as weight loss, even more! Interval training is associated with improved cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. And it’s easy. Just jump 30 seconds to several minutes at high intensity, followed by 30 seconds of gentler, lower intensity jumping (not as high or fast), and repeat these intervals. Imagine. What we thought of as a child’s game is actually a great full-body workout. While you skip to your favorite music, it tones your arms and legs, and creates core stability. It improves heart health, concentration, coordination, stamina, flexibility, and circulation, all while strengthening your bones and giving you glowing skin! So, grab a rope and have a bottle of water at the ready. Put on some shock-absorbing socks, do a few stretches to warm up, and… HAVE FUN!

What do you do when the cute cottage you just purchased on a lake in Quebec comes with an old RV trailer? Some work, that’s what! This young couple wanted to make the most of their unexpected gift and started by gutting the entire interior. They put in new drywall and a new ceiling, and then it was time to paint. This particular trailer is stationary for the time being, but did you know that couples who ditch their houses for the open road, say it has made them happier — and improved their marriages? It’s true! There is actually quite the movement afoot, of people making the switch to RV life by lifestyle choice rather than financial need. People are trading “sticks and bricks” for a life of travel and minimal belongings. While larger and larger homes (without wheels) have long embodied the American Dream, now the dream is the freedom of the open road! There have been several terms coined for this lifestyle, such as “full-time RVers,” “digital nomads” or “workampers.” One survey found that half of new RV sales are going to Americans under 45, a change from the 20th century, when retirees dominated campsites. So no, it’s not just seniors who are plying the highways with their homes in tow. New opportunities to work remotely have opened up possibilities for younger and younger people to adopt this lifestyle while still at the height of their working years. Many simply log in right from their RV and go to work. Others pick up “gig work”, cleaning campsites, harvesting on farms or in vineyards, or filling in as security guards. People learn about these gigs by word of mouth, on Workamper News or Facebook groups like one for Workampers with more than 30,000 members. So if you’re rolling along either in your home or with your home trailing behind you, you will no longer get as many incredulous looks and questions such as, “where will you put your stuff?” These days it’s more likely you’ll get a look of admiration or even envy!

Watch as hair-cutter extraordinaire Pedro uses a head of hair as a living canvas. He makes it look easy, but it's pure artistic genius. And look at the unique and beautiful results. Artists come in all shapes and sizes, as do their works of art. In the hands of an artist like Pedro Navajas, a simple straight razor becomes a painter’s brush and hair and a head become his living canvas. Using a razor opens up a whole new world of artistic possibilities in the hands of a deft professional. From blending to texturizing to point cutting, undercutting, bevelling and slicing. The entire process takes about an hour - here compressed for you down to under a minute. When Pedro is done, he’s given you a confident, shrewd look that you know will turn heads. Pure artistic genius.

One bright sunny March day in Quebec, Canada, three (fool)-hardy young Canadian boys challenged (dared!) each other to take a “POLAR dip”! After chopping, hacking and scooping away at the frozen lake, they eventually carved out enough room for them to slide in and out. The hole was cut near the shore, so they were able to stand up with their feet on the lake bed, and simply bend their knees and dip – once they summoned their courage LOL. Every year, hundreds, if not thousands of Cold Water Emersion Enthusiasts do this. They say ice dipping can: - leave you refreshed and exhilarated - reduce stress and anxiety - activate the sympathetic nervous system - help to soothe sore muscles. It may also increase the presence of glutathione in the body, a potent antioxidant that boosts the performance of other antioxidants. Some research has found that cold temperatures have the potential to activate brown fat in adults. Brown fat is a type of fat that burns energy, as opposed to storing it. The cold water may also help to decrease uric acid levels in the body. When uric acid levels become too high, it may lead to gout, kidney disease and high blood pressure. Many people who are overweight or obese have heightened uric acid levels. Lowering them may therefore aid in preventing certain chronic diseases. But be warned that taking a polar plunge can increase your blood pressure and can affect your breathing. It is not something to be undertaken lightly. Always do this activity under supervision, with others present, and in a controlled way. Many people say the cold water helps them feel more alert, and some claim it helps keep them from getting sick. The data surrounding this claim is largely anecdotal, but there may be some evidence that taking a short dip in cold water, just 1 to 2 minutes, might activate the immune system. The Polar Dip tradition is based on an age-old Northern European custom of jumping straight from a sauna session into a cold lake. This practice is believed to boost the immune system, and enhance vitality and libido. In 1903, the Coney Island Polar Bear Club was founded in New York City, and other cities across the US soon followed suit. Many of these clubs donate the proceeds from their events to charity. Despite what these Canadian yahoos did, it is suggested that you do not drink alcohol before the plunge, as it causes your body to lose heat more quickly, and makes it more difficult to warm up. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

This is what the beginning of new building construction looks like. That is, after they’ve flattened whatever was there before. This is in Ottawa, Canada in late April. Need some holes dug? Let me introduce you to the Post Hole Auger. It’s a piece of equipment that drills into soil to create an exact, vertical hole for posts, trees and is occasionally to take soil samples. This kind of tool is beneficial because it reduces the amount of strain required to dig a large hole. Holes needed for fences and housing foundation can often be several feet wide and very deep. Certain types of soil, such as clay-based soils, are hard-packed and dense. They usually call for a great amount of force to move the earth and create a hole when digging by hand. This machine operates by turning a spiral drill-head into the soil. The drill-head is typically made of steel. And because I know you love trivia, let me tell you about five of the deepest holes we humans have ever dug! 1. Russia: The Kola Superdeep Borehole is 7.5-miles deep. Started in 1970 by Russian scientists and ultimately becoming the deepest hole in the world—deeper than even the deepest part of the ocean—after about 20 years of digging. The 356 Fahrenheit temperature at that depth, however, made it impossible for tools to keep going. The site has been abandoned since 2008, and the hole bolted shut so nothing can get in. … or out! 2. Utah: The Bingham Canyon Mine, over 100 years old, is the world's largest copper mine and is considered the largest man-made excavation. It dips nearly three-quarters of a mile down and covers 1,900 acres. First started in 1906, the mine is still open, but that hasn't kept it from being named a National Historic Landmark with a visitor center for folks who want to come and gawk. 3. Africa: The Kimberley Diamond Mine, “The Big Hole”, is one of the largest hand-made holes in the world. More than 50,000 miners have been pick-axing their way into the soil since 1866. More than 6,000 pounds of diamonds have been pulled from it. 4. Canada: The Diavik Diamond Mine opened in 2003 in the Canadian Arctic, and it has reached deeper than 600 feet. The mine is accessible only by plane—there's a gravel runway big enough for a Boeing 737—and an ice road. And that's only if the weather is good enough. The mine yields 3,300 pounds of diamonds annually amidst the ice. 5. Montana: The Berkeley Pit opened in 1955 to mine for copper in Butte, Montana. The pit grew to a depth of 1,700 feet before it was closed down in 1982. Since that time the pit has filled with over 900 feet worth of groundwater and rainwater.

We are in Australia, at Westfield Sydney, a large upmarket shopping centre located underneath the Sydney Tower on Pitt Street Mall, and it has an awesome escalator! It’s a Schindler 9300 AE model and it was installed in 2010. A few things you may not know about the “ups and downs” of escalator history: - In 1859 the escalator was FIRST PATENTED, and it was designed to either run by water power or hand-crank power. However, no actual working escalator was built until 1896, when the world’s FIRST ESCALATOR WAS INSTALLED at Coney Island, New York. - In 1900, the first step-type escalator was installed by Otis at the Paris 1900 Exposition. The escalator won first prize. - Nowadays, SCHINDLER the largest escalator manufacturer in the world. - THE WORLD’S SHORTEST escalator is in the basement of More’s Department Store in Kawasaki, Japan. With only 5 steps, the escalator has a modest rise of 32.8 inches (83.4 cm). Of course, since it was recognized as the world’s shortest escalator by the Guinness Book of Records back in 1989, it’s possible a shorter, even more useless escalator now exists. - THE WORLD’S LONGEST FREESTANDING escalator is in the CNN building in Atlanta, Georgia and it measures 193 ft long (58.83m). The escalator ascends eight stories as part of the CNN Studio Tour. - THE LONGEST ESCALATOR IN THE WORLD is also the world’s longest covered walkway. It was installed in Hong Kong in 1993. This escalator is 800 metres long and rises 135 metres in elevation over the journey, making it also THE TALLEST ESCALATOR IN THE WORLD !

Even if you’re not Australian, you’ve probably heard of Vegemite. It’s that stuff made from leftover brewers' yeast extract with vegetable and spice additives. And I’ll bet you’ve wondered how a non-Australian pallet would react to its … strong flavor? Well, watch this video to find out. What is Vegemite, anyway? Similar to Marmite, it’s a salty, slightly bitter, spread that people put on bread or crackers. Vegemite was developed by Cyril Callister in Melbourne, Victoria in 1922, when the company he worked for gave him the task of developing a spread from the used yeast being dumped by breweries. Callister used autolysis to break down the yeast cells from waste obtained from breweries. Concentrating the clear liquid extract and blending it with salt, celery and onion extracts formed a sticky black paste. So, how did Vegemite become such a staple in the Australian diet? Well, in a 1925 campaign, Vegemite was given away free with Kraft cheese products. Then the company sponsored poetry competitions with American Pontiac cars being offered as prizes. Sales responded! An additional boost was provided in 1939, when Vegemite was officially endorsed by the British Medical Association as a rich source of B vitamins. Vegemite's rise in popularity was also helped by the marketing campaigns written by J. Walter Thompson advertising that began in 1954, using groups of smiling, healthy children singing a catchy jingle titled "We're happy little Vegemites": We're happy little Vegemites As bright as bright can be. We all enjoy our Vegemite For breakfast, lunch, and tea. Our mummies say we're growing stronger Every single week, Because we love our Vegemite We all adore our Vegemite It puts a rose in every cheek. In Australia during World War II, Vegemite was included in army rations, and by the late 1940s it was used in nine out of ten Australian homes. Today, Vegemite is produced in Melbourne, Australia at a rate of more than 22 million jars per year!

Spring brings birth to many new creatures. In beautiful Washington Park in Albany, New York – this includes three cute, fuzzy, adorable goslings, swimming near mom and dad. WHEN DO THEY ‘MARRY’? Canada geese seek mates when they are two years old. Geese are monogamous, although a goose may seek a new mate if the first one dies. Both parents incubate the eggs, although the female spends more time on the nest than the male. HOW LONG UNTIL THE EGGS HATCH? The goslings hatch 24 to 28 days after the eggs are laid. Goslings can walk, swim, and find food immediately upon hatching but they are vulnerable to predators, so their parents fiercely protect them. HOW LONG DO THEY LIVE? The average lifespan of a wild goose ranges from 10 to 24 years but one goose is known to have lived to the age of 31! HOW HIGH CAN THEY FLY? It is unknown exactly how high Canada geese can fly, but they have been documented at heights up to 29,000 ft (9 km)! “The sight of a young ducklings in Spring is guaranteed to raise a smile on anyone's face. The downy little puffballs seem the epitome of innocence, and their daily routine appears endearingly simple: scamper after a few insects and, above all, keep up with the rest of the brood. But the lives of ducklings and goslings are not as easy and carefree as a casual observer might think. Young waterfowl face many obstacles early in life. The timing of hatch, local abundance and quality of wetlands, weather, predation and other factors impact the survival of ducklings and goslings. Geese have longer life spans than ducks and establish long-term pair bonds. Both parents look after the young, and survival rates for goslings are higher than those for ducklings. Geese generally hatch fewer offspring than ducks—two to seven goslings compared to seven to 12 ducklings, but additional parental care results in higher survival of individual young. Everyone has seen baby birds in the nest with eyes closed and mouths open. The adults have to feed their young. Ducklings and goslings, on the other hand, hatch with their eyes open and already have feathers because they will soon have to feed themselves. Remarkably, young waterfowl spend only about a day in the nest.” By J. Brian Davis, Ph.D. A little extra note on Washington Park. It dates back to 1686, is about 81 acres in size and contains Washington Park Lake – which is big! The lake is roughly 1,600 feet (490 m) long and 140 feet (43 m) wide. It has an average depth of 6 feet (2.0 m). People love it all year round. They even ice skate in the winter!

If you ever take a Caribbean cruise, you may find yourself stopping at the breathtakingly beautiful island of Saint Martin (Sint Maarten), which is about 300 km (190 miles) east of Puerto Rico. This spectacular island has two distinct sides to it - two distinct populations. It is split roughly 60:40 between the French side and the Dutch side. The population of the whole island is around 80,000 and the two parts are roughly equal in population. My daughter and I got caught in a hard rain one afternoon, when a handsome stranger invited us to stay dry inside his organic food restaurant. His name was Tafari Johnson Hodge and he was full of fun. He guided us to many great attractions, showed us where to find a bank machine, and then wished us on our way. Tafari casually asked us where we were from and when we told him we were from Canada, he instantly and smoothly rhymed off all of Canada’s provinces and territories - AND in perfect west-to-east order! I’m not sure I could do that!! And now I wonder, if we were from another country – say, the United States – would Tafari be able to rhyme off all 50 states as well? I bet he could! And how many other countries does he know just as well? I’m sure his business is even more successful when he impresses us easily-impressionable tourists with his mental prowess! Tafari Johnson Hodge – man of renown.

Enjoy a peaceful July morning drift into the heart of Ketchikan, Alaska - perhaps the most beautiful state in the USA. Alaska is often very quiet, especially in the early morning. Very serene. Cruise ships are quiet too. Yes, they are majestic creatures - huge, with several thousand onboard, and with powerful engines, but as the many guests bustle around inside, preparing for the day, being fed, entertained - - still, with me onboard the beautiful Celebrity Solstice, we float easily and quietly into the harbor, slipping right alongside the beautiful good ship Carnival Legend. As we pass by the Legend, let me give you a few of its fun statistics. Just before I do – and just for fun – why don’t you try to guess these four answers? Afterwards, you can see how close you were! Here are the questions. 1) How LONG do you think the Legend is? 2) How much do you think the Legend WEIGHS? 3) How many PASSENGERS do you think it holds? 4) How many CREW do you think the ship needs? Now, let’s see how good your guesses were. The Carnival Legend is 963 feet long (294 meters). It weighs 88,500 tonnes. The Legend has capacity for 2,124 guests and there are usually 930 crew on board. So how did you do?? Many people feel that cruising is a wonderful – and VERY comfortable – way to see the gorgeous, rugged, spectacular, breathtaking lands and waters of Alaska. And by the way, the men on shore working the mooring lines are not part of the ship’s crew, but rather, they are local dock workers. When a ship arrives, its crew toss them a very small, light line. That line is attached to a larger line. The dock workers can handle the large lines because they first pull in the smaller, easier ones and go from there. It’s quite fun to watch! Our little video ends with a fishing boat – one of thousands – heading off for a day’s wide-open adventure in wonderful Ketchikan, Alaska!